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$page->title = 'Temptation in disguise';
$page->date = '2012-08-07';

?>

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<p>When you really want something, how do you convince yourself?</p>
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<p>None of us are above temptation. Even Jesus was tempted (<a
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%204:1-11&version=ESV"
target="_blank" title="Matthew 4:1-11" class="external">Matthew 4</a> and <a
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%204:1-13&version=ESV"
target="_blank" class="external">Luke 4</a>). But I wonder, how do you deal with it?</p>

<p>The other day, I was struggling with temptation, in a literal internal
dialogue where I was trying to convince myself not to do something. The thought
kept resurfacing time and again. Once or twice I was close to giving in. It was
then that I realized that I was considering this a "pocket sin" or and
"indulgence" or some other cute rationalization. By this the temptation was
nothing more than a private pleasure meaning nothing whether I gave in or not.
And there it was.</p>

<p>By some act of clarity or perhaps a deeper internal indignation the
temptation stood for what it truly was: spiritual warfare.  Yes, I'm calling
pocket sins and all those white-lies that you tell yourself warfare of the
spiritual kind. I and you are being tempted daily by the prince of temptation.
Read the book of <a
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+4&version=ESV"
target="_blank" class="external">James</a>. If you know that something isn't
right, but you do it anyway, then you are sinning.  What else would the prince
of lies want for us than to further ourselves from God?</p>

<p><strong>If you feel you have to hide something, then without doubt, you
shouldn't be doing it.</strong></p>

<p>Keep your eyes open, scouring every temptation for a disguise. It will be
subtle, it will be convincing, and it will be very hard to ignore. I can't
promise that you'll be a better person for winning the struggle. All I can
promise is that Jesus endured the cross for all of our pocket sins. Then proved
His power over death, paving our way to His side. Because He has done so much
for me, can't I overcome these little temptations?</p>
